By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
Considering the opposite standpoints of Guinea and ECOWAS on the political impasse in Niger, the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) has clarified that Sierra Leone would still maintain its friendly ties with the neighboring country, Guinea whilst going to Niger as ECOWAS.
This clarification was made at a seminar organized by the RSLAF to upskill its members, especially the newly enlisted, on Military professionalism in a democracy. Highly participated by a troop of Generals and Brigadiers including the Deputy Minister of Defense, the seminar was housed at the Ultramodern Myohaung Mess Hockey Pitch Barracks, Wilberforce, Freetown on Thursday 24th August 2023.
The Deputy Minister of Defense Colonel (Rtd) Muana Brima Massaquoi in his statement firmly assured that, they would remain as active members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). “If at all we are going to Niger we would not be going there as Sierra Leoneans but as ECOWAS,” he reaffirmed.
As Guinea and Sierra Leone are not only neighbours but friends with deep ties, the Deputy Defense Minister expressed that the friendship between Guinea and Sierra Leone would still be maintained. Speaking on Military professionalism in a democracy, he strongly admonished members of the Armed forces to maintain political neutralism, to always remain professional in their day to day conducts and to keep their oath and constitutional mandate sacred.
Responding to a widely asked question by members of the press, citizens and some members of the RSLAF on the next state of Sierra Leone and Guinea after the Niger intervention, Brigadier General Sahr Tejan Kanu, Commander in Gundama, Bo and a Member of SLBA, expressed hope for a successful intervention and assured that Sierra Leone has nothing to fear as he said they would be intervening under the collective responsibility of ECOWAS.
“We are not going to Niger as Sierra Leoneans but as ECOWAS, so whatever repercussion that is going to come out of that intervention in Niger, especially so that Guinea may want to pay us in our own coin, of course ECOWAS would not sit by and allow that to happen”, Brigadier General Kanu assured.
Brigadier General Kanu further explained on the enormous benefits Sierra Leone had derived from its membership to the ECOWAS. He recalled the Liberians attack on Sierra Leone which he said Sierra Leone was able to make greater impact based on the fact that the Nigerians and ECOMOG did not abandon them in that fight.
Air Commodore MS Kamara the Assistant Chief of Defense Staff – Personnel and Military Secretary delivered a presentation on the topic ‘Armed Forces and the State’ in which he explained the disparity, roles and relationship that exist between the Armed Forces and the State. In an exclusive interview, Air Commodore entirely condemned coups saying “they are no longer fashionable in any democratic dispensation.”
He said let the politicians make their own mistakes and equally be the ones to correct themselves, adding that they are not judges to correct the mistakes of the politicians. “Any service personnel involving in the governance of a state in terms of military coup, that is not the right approach. The right approach is allowing politicians to make the mistakes on themselves and also correct themselves as well,” Air Commodore MS Kamara reiterated.